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LUCKNOW: Two world champions from different sporting arenas — Smriti Mandhana and Samrat Rana — were on Saturday named Sportspersons of the Year at the eighth edition of the The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) in Lucknow.In a glittering ceremony attended by top athletes and dignitaries, pistol shooter Rana and India women’s cricket vice-captain Mandhana were honoured for their exceptional performances in 2025. Both athletes delivered standout campaigns, dominating their respective disciplines and emerging as the finest performers of the year.Mandhana played a defining role in Indian cricket history, helping the team clinch their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title. India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final, with Mandhana contributing significantly throughout the tournament. She scored 434 runs to finish as the second-highest run-getter and also smashed a breathtaking 50-ball century against England — the second-fastest hundred in women’s international cricket.Her dominance extended beyond the World Cup. Over the course of the year, Mandhana became the first woman to score more than 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year and equalled the record for most ODI centuries in a year with five. She also achieved major career milestones, crossing 4,000 T20I runs and going past 10,000 international runs — becoming only the second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach the landmark.Rana’s historic rise in shootingWhile Mandhana shone on the cricket field, Samrat Rana scripted history in shooting. The 21-year-old became India’s first world champion in the 10m air pistol event, marking a breakthrough moment in his career. At the ISSF World Championships 2025, Rana delivered a sensational performance, winning two gold medals — in individual and team events — along with a silver in the mixed team competition alongside Esha Singh.With this feat, Rana joined an elite list of Indian shooting world champions that includes Abhinav Bindra and Rudrankksh Patil. He capped off his remarkable season with a bronze medal at the Doha World Cup Final, underlining his consistency at the highest level.Celebrating a landmark year for Indian sportThe eighth edition of TOISA celebrated India’s sporting excellence across more than 45 categories, recognising performances between January 1 and December 31, 2025. The awards highlighted a year filled with historic achievements, including India’s success in global cricket tournaments, athletics and para sports.The winners were selected by a distinguished jury comprising legends such as Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Leander Paes and Devendra Jhajharia.
